Package bow guard



Feb. 5, 1957 B. Y. JAMES PACKAGE BOW GUARD Filed Sept. 10, 1953 INVENTOR. 5 7/ 1 James United States Patent() PACKAGE BOW GUARD Bill Y. James, Miami, Okla. Application September 10, 1953, Serial No. 379,387

v 2Clairns. Cl. 229 -87 t This invention relates .to the field of packaging and wrapping, and particularly to gift wrappings wherein the package is normally provided with decorative features in the nature of a bow, rosette or the like, used in connection with tying tapes, all prior to a final protective wrapping used 1 in delivery or shipment to the ultimate consumer or addressee.

It is common knowledge that decorative wrappings, particularly those that include beauteous bows, must be handled with extreme care to avoid crushing of the bows prior to actual delivery and especially during handling thereof for shipment and while making delivery.

It is accordingly, the most important object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive, easily mounted guard for'package bows in the natureof a continuous band adapted to circumscribe the bow or enclose the same therewithin and having'ineans in the nature, of inturned ears on the lowermost edge thereof underlying the bow between the latter and the package to hold the same in place.

Another important object of this invention'is to provide a package bow guard wherein the continuous band is made from an initially flat, elongated strip of bendable material, the ends of the strip being overlapped and interconnected through the medium of a tongue .and slot construction forming a part of the band.

A further object constitutes the way in which the band is provided with a plurality of U-shaped slots throughout the length thereof for receiving the tongue, whereby the diameter of the band may be adjusted to suit the size of the bowto be protected thereby.

A still further object is to provide novel reinforcing spect to the body portion thereof.

In the drawing: 7

Figure l is a perspective view of a package bow guard made pursuant to the present invention showingthe same operably mounted in protecting relationship to a bow.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of an elongated strip material from which the guard is made.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational viewof the guard entirely removed from the package.

. Fig. 4 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line VV of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 isa detailed,cross-sectional view'taken on line VI-VI ofFig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is afragmentary view similar to Fig. '2 showing a modified form lOf reinforcement.

10, is shown in its entirety in Figs. 1, 3 and 40f the drawtegrally with the strip 12 through lines of bend 16. Additional1y, the strip '12 is provided with a plurality of spaced, U-shaped slots 18 throughout the length thereof, the bights of the slots 18 being disposed transversely of thestrip 12 and the legs of the U-shaped slots 18 being in parallelism with the longitudinal axis of the strip 12. By providing the slots 18 in the blank 12, there is presented a plurality of tongues 20 throughout the length of the blank When the strip 12 is to be placed in use in protecting relationship to a bow 22, used in connection withwrapping tapes 24 of a'gift package 26, theuser need merely. grasp the two ends of the strip 12 and place the same around the bow 22 to position ,the ends thereof in overlapping relationship; -The ears 14 should be pre-bent inwardly so that the same automatically move into underlying relationship to the bow 22 between the latterand the package 26, the ears 14 thereby serving to hold-the guard 10 against displacement from the bow 22. 1 1

A wire staple 28 isprovided for each ear 14 respectively to hold the latter bent inwardly. Staples 28 are fastened to the strip 12 across the lines of bend 16 and are bent at right angles as shown in Fig. 6 when the cars 14 are turned inwardly. Y

One of the tongues 20 and preferably the outermost tongue 20a, is thereupon inserted in one of the slots18 so as to extend into the band 10 as shown inFig; 50f the drawing. Such tongue-slot interconnection servesto attach the outermost end of the band 10 and to hold the guard in place surrounding the bow 22. It is manifest that the user may select a slot 18 depending upon the size of the bow, 22; soas to predetermine the diameter of the band 10.

Once the guard is so mounted and held against displacement by the cooperative action of the ears 14 and the tongue-slot interlock, the package 26 may be wrapped with heavier paper or the like as is quite conventional when making delivery of gift packages either directly from the retail store or by way :of the mails. During such handling and shipment or delivery, the bow 22 is fully and completely protected by the guard 10 and it can be easily and quickly removed by the consumer for disposal along with the outer protecting wrapping.

While in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive the reinforcing means for holding the ears bent laterally with respect to the strip or body portion 12 takes the form of a wire staple, it is to be appreciated that any element of a bendable nature and made from relatively stiff, self-sustaining material, may be utilized in lieu of staple 28 and may be affixed to the strip 12 and to the ears 14 in other ways. By way of example, small metallic strips of material such as metal, may be secured adhesively to the strip 12 and to the ears 14 across the line of bend 16. Thereupon, when it is desired to properly dispose the ears 14 relative to the strip 12, they may be bent and the reinforcing element simultaneously bent on the line of bend which is disposed at the juncture between cars 14 and 16 by merely pressing upon the cars 14 and the strip 12 between the thumb and forefinger.

In Figure 7 of the drawing, there is illustrated a third manner of reinforcement taking the form of a wire 123 having aplurality of loops or salients formed therein. The wire 123 may be pressed tightly against strip or body portion 112 and against the ears 114 with the loops 130 extending across line of bend 116 between ears 114 and body portion 112. It is to be preferred that the wire 128, as well as the loops 130 thereof, be secured rigidly to the body portion 112 and to the ears 114 and to this end, adhesive may be utilized. Here again, when it is desired to dispose the ears 114 laterally with respect to the body portion 112, ears 114 and loops 130 may be 3 4 bent simultaneously in the same manner as bending of cars 14 and staples 28 in Fig. 6 of the drawing.

It is now apparent that the reinforcing structure herein disclosed may be utilized in many articles diife ring from thepackage bow guardherein chosen for illustration. By way of example, various parts of paper cut-outs may be held ina desired position through utilization of a reinforcing element that is relatively stiff and self-sustaining as compared with the body portion and laterally extending parts thereof. Paper or cardboard dolls, doll houses, animals and the like are quite commonly made available through various retail outlets and provided with many lines of bend or fold for providing feet, hands, arms and legs that are bent laterally after the same are cut out according to instructions. Through utilization of the reinforcing element hereof it is possible to hold such laterally extending ears, tabs, feet, hands or the like in a desired position and against swinging movement with respect to the main body portion upon which the same are integrally formed. a

The ease with which the article may be made, together with the fact that ordinary cardboard is entirely suitable for its manufacture, presents an extremely inexpensive guard having high utility so far as its intended use is concerned, and, while details of construction may be varied within the spirit of the invention it is desired to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Structure of the kind described comprising, in combination, a package; a decorative bow mounted on the package; an open ended, tubular guard having one extremity thereof resting on the package with the bow received within and circumscribed by the guard; a plurality of inturned ears on the guard at said one extremity of the latter extending between the bow and the package and oppositely engaged thereby for releasably holding the guard in place to protect the bow, said guard comprising an elongated, bendable band having portions adjacent its ends overlapped with each other; means for releasably securing said portions in said overlapping relationship, said ears being integrally connected with one side of the band by lines of bend; and bendable, metal, wire staple elements extending across said lines of bend and oppositely secured to said ears and said band.

2. A blank for use in forming a guard for a decorative bow, said blank comprising an initially flat, generally rectangular strip of bendable cardboard having a series of aligned, similarly facing, generally U-shaped, internal lines of cut therethrough at intervals spaced longitudinally thereof and a plurality of ear portions integrally connected with the strip along one side thereof at intervals spaced longitudinally thereof; and a bendable wire staple oppositely secured to each ear portion and an adjacent part of the strip, said staples traversing the lines of joinder between the ears and the strip substantially perpendicularly to said lines.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 331,357 Wineberg Dec. 1, 1885 404,585 Wright June 4, 1889 1,156,391 Conrad Oct. 12, 1915 1,435,519 Gautier Nov. 14, 1922 1,762,900 Todd June 10, 1930 1,926,359 Anthony Sept. 12, 1933 1,935,251 Scully Nov. 14, 1933 2,004,098 Andrews June 11, 1935 2,020,226 Adams Nov. 5', 1935 2,149,625 Pabst Mar. 7, 1939 2,210,859 Schafer Aug. 6, 1940 

